Pair of kris/ keris , bugis ?

A. G. Maisey · 3rd June 2026, 01:49 PM

We are looking at two keris, each keris is comprised of a number of components, and each keris would fall into the broad church of the Bugis keris.

When a keris is classified as "Bugis" it is classified in accordance with cultural indicators, where within the Bugis world these two keris might have originated becomes a sub-classification, & one that I decided long ago not to try too hard to take much interest in.

I have a number of reasons for this lack of interest, & it is rooted in the overall lack of unified opinions. Collectors outside of culture seem to have developed their own system of classification, and even then there appears to be variation in opinions, whilst collectors within Bugis culture seem to have a more, let us say, elastic system of classification according to which just about every keris with a trace of Bugis influence is classified as South Sulawesi.

In my opinion, the two keris we are looking at are properly classified as Bugis, and would most certainly be so classified as this by any keris literate person whom I know in Indonesia.

However, the sub-classification of geographic point of origin is something I will leave to the opinions of others.

One of these subject keris has a 3 luk blade, this blade may or may not be of Bugis origin, I cannot determine if it has the required hexagon form, overall it does look Bugis, but I would like to see the hexagon.

The long thin keris must be counted as 9 luk by current convention, & I cannot see anything even close to Bugis in that blade. I cannot give a supportable opinion on origin of this 9 luk blade.

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3rd June 2026, 01:49 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,228	We are looking at two keris, each keris is comprised of a number of components, and each keris would fall into the broad church of the Bugis keris. When a keris is classified as "Bugis" it is classified in accordance with cultural indicators, where within the Bugis world these two keris might have originated becomes a sub-classification, & one that I decided long ago not to try too hard to take much interest in. I have a number of reasons for this lack of interest, & it is rooted in the overall lack of unified opinions. Collectors outside of culture seem to have developed their own system of classification, and even then there appears to be variation in opinions, whilst collectors within Bugis culture seem to have a more, let us say, elastic system of classification according to which just about every keris with a trace of Bugis influence is classified as South Sulawesi. In my opinion, the two keris we are looking at are properly classified as Bugis, and would most certainly be so classified as this by any keris literate person whom I know in Indonesia. However, the sub-classification of geographic point of origin is something I will leave to the opinions of others. One of these subject keris has a 3 luk blade, this blade may or may not be of Bugis origin, I cannot determine if it has the required hexagon form, overall it does look Bugis, but I would like to see the hexagon. The long thin keris must be counted as 9 luk by current convention, & I cannot see anything even close to Bugis in that blade. I cannot give a supportable opinion on origin of this 9 luk blade.